The Mt Beauty CFA Rope Rescue Team was recently called to assist the SES at Cathedral Rock at Mt Buffalo.
By Don Mason, Mt Beauty Fire Brigade
A team of seven from Mt Beauty Fire Brigade responded and also three rope rescuers from Wangaratta Fire Brigade.
On arrival at the scene, we were informed by the police and SES that a young woman had been climbing Cathedral Rock when she fell about three to four metres and had injuries to her back and ribs.
Ambulance Victoria and Bright SES were already with the woman on a rock ledge three-quarters of the way up Cathedral Rock.
After about a 20-minute walk to the scene, we assessed the situation. We waited for about 30 minutes for the arrival of the Police Search and Rescue Squad via the police helicopter.
After discussions with Police SAR, a series of safety lines were put into place and the patient was carried to a saddle between two hills where she was winched out by the Police Air Wing.
This carry was done by traversing across the rock face to the saddle. The entire operation took about five hours.
The patient was taken by helicopter to a waiting ambulance in the car park below and then by road to Wangaratta Hospital.
It was a great team effort by Mt Beauty and Wangaratta brigade Rope Rescue Team, Porepunkah brigade, Bright SES, Bright police, Police SAR Squad, Police Air Wing and Ambulance Victoria. It was a task well done and all agencies worked well together to bring the woman to safety.
Author: CFA News